Portable Chargers: Ratings of Sources

Our AssessmentUK-based website PC Advisor is a major source of tech reviews and tests. It tests and awards the Innergie PocketCell 3.5 out of 5 stars, largely based on its price point, which has since dropped. In PC Advisor's tests, the PocketCell charged the iPhone 4s in just under two hours and charged a second iPhone at 19 percent before dying. The iPad 2 only charged from empty to 27 percent.

Our AssessmentOften, some of the best reports come from the people who use a product every day, and Amazon.com is a hub for contributors to weigh the pros and cons of a product. A greater number of reviews often means a more accurate overall picture. We looked at hundreds of contributor opinions for all of the best-reviewed and runner-up portable chargers; most get ratings of at least 4 out of 5 stars.

Our AssessmentHotTechReview.com's "Daniel" tests the Powerocks Magicstick by charging his smartphone three different times, for about two hours each. In the first test, the Magicstick charges his completely drained phone up to 85 percent. In the second and third tests, he surfs the web on his phone while charging to see how well the Magicstick performs. He gives the Magicstick an overall score of 3.7 out of 5.

Our AssessmentThe Limeade Blast L180X gets a glowing review from tech-product reviewer Rick Broida on Savings.com, thanks to its mega-capacity charger and features like the 2-in-1 cable. The MyCharge Peak 6,000 was the reviewer's previous favorite portable USB charger because it has built-in connectors for an Apple 30-pin and a micro USB.

Our AssessmentCNET, normally a leading source of tech reviews, has very few reviews for portable chargers and most are for older products. In this 2012 product-test review, Innergie PocketCell gets 3.5 out of 5 stars; the PocketCell is tested on an iPhone, iPad 3, Kindle Fire and Samsung Galaxy S III. David Carnoy says it's "fairly pricey" at $80, but the price has since dropped to around $40.

Our AssessmentILounge, an Apple reviews and products site, gives the iCarrier an A-, or Highly Recommended, rating thanks to its strong performance in tests. Like most iCarrier reviews, however, this one is slightly dated and New Trent has changed the iCarrier several times -- it no longer comes with a wall-socket charger, for example. Reviewers also like chargers from Mophie, Powerrocks and ZAGGsparq.

Our AssessmentThis is a fairly detailed review from iPhoneJD.com, a site catering to a unique subset: lawyers who use iPhones and iPads. The Magicstick, which Powerocks sends the publisher for a review, gives a 20 percent charge to an iPad Air after two hours. The reviewer notes that in order to charge an iPhone the device requires a USB connector and lightning connector (for iPhone 5/5s) or a 30-pin connector for iPhone 4 and earlier.

Our AssessmentYahoo! Voices reviewer Freddy Sherman writes a positive review for the Magicstick after using it during international travel. He notes that it takes three to four hours to recharge (on a phone charger), and will power up his Samsung Galaxy SII to about 85 percent in two hours.

Our AssessmentThis is a short review of the iCarrier's design and features; the reviewer doesn't formally test the charger. He praises the battery's 12,000 mAh capacity and its "slick feeling black plastic shell."

Our AssessmentThis is a short review for an earlier model, the Super Magicstick with 2,600 mAh. Corrina Lawson gives Powerocks Super Magicstick a positive review after it powered up her iPhone 4s and her daughter's iPod nano. She notes that the only drawback is the phone's color-coded light display: green means the charge is more than half full, for example, but it doesn't specify how much battery is actually left.

Our AssessmentThis professional review from Tuaw.com (The Unofficial Apple Weblog) tests the Astro3 and praises its design and functionality, noting it works well with the iPad 3. The reviewer also looks at chargers from Limeade and Jackery, though not all are formally tested.

Our AssessmentGlideMagazine.com reviews but doesn't test three Jackery mobile batteries: the Mini (2,600 mAh) the Bar (5,600 mAh) and the Giant (10,400 mAh). The Giant is praised for its sheer power, flashlight and "relatively light" weight at around 10 ounces.

Our AssessmentThis blog review is the longest and the only comparative review we found of the Anker Astro3. The portable charger shines in tests (including a simultaneous charge of an iPad, an Android tablet and an iPhone). It takes 10 hours to recharge the Astro3, but the battery's standby storage is "excellent." The Anker is stronger than the Callpod Duo and the Satechi 10,000 mAh, according to the reviewer.

Our Assessment9To5Mac.com provides one of the more detailed test reviews; the Astro3 charges the reviewer's iPhone 5s (empty to full) six times before dying and takes 8 to 10 hours to charge. (The iPhone plug doesn't charge the device, however.) The Astro3 is deemed "a must-buy for those who need extra energy for their devices wherever they go."

Our AssessmentThis review describes the Astro3 in detail, but does not appear to test the device. It still gets a good write-up, including props for Astro3's LED status indicator, simultaneous charging and high capacity.

Our AssessmentForbes.com's reviewer recommends the Astro3 as "a good all-around USB battery pack." The Astro3 performs well in tests with the iPhone 4s, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the HTC One, but the write-ups for the Astro3 and other battery packs are short.

Our AssessmentThis is a fairly thorough test review from a little-known blog. Engineer Winston Moy tests an earlier version of the Anker Astro Mini, the 2,600 mAh, and finds it takes about three hours to charge an iPhone 4s; the Astro Mini's capacity runs at 68 percent, just about what Anker promises.

Our AssessmentMapHappy.org is a travel site focusing on lifestyle and products, including tech reviews. The reviewer is disappointed with the Astro Mini's performance -- it takes well over three hours to charge an HTC One S and has no battery remaining by the time the charge is complete. But the reviewer, who got two charges from her older Innergie PocketCell, declares the Astro Mini "does what it's supposed to do, and that is to give you emergency power and nothing more."

Our AssessmentOutdoorGearLab.com does not test the Anker 2nd Gen Astro3, but declares it "our favorite robust USB external battery charger" and gives the battery 5 out of 5 stars. Editors explain the features and performance of the Astro3 well, noting that it can charge an iPhone 5 in about two hours (based on Anker's estimates) vs. three to four hours for other external batteries.

Our AssessmentLifehacker.com, which provides reviews of portable electronic devices and chargers, puts Anker's Astro series at the top of its list of best external battery packs based on reader votes; the New Trent iCarrier and iGeek are ranked second.

Our AssessmentThe U.K.'s EnigmaTech News is one of the few sites to test the Astro Pro2 20,000 mAh; it charges a Nexus 4 from 10 percent to full four times. Ollie Ford calls the Pro2 "a solid device" and "far superior to any other external battery I've seen."

Our AssessmentThis Astro Pro2 test review finds the charger functions at about 80 percent efficiency, which is at the higher end for portable USB chargers. (Voltage conversions and other issues cause the battery to lose power while it's operating.) Ryan Whitwam calls it "a battery for a serious traveler, or for someone with three or four devices, some of which need DC input."

Our AssessmentDIYPhotography.net doesn't test but describes the Astro3 in some detail. This is a largely positive review, based on the Astro3's price, shake-to-wake feature and performance. Jeff Guyer says that the charger "does what it says it does and does it well."

Our AssessmentThis is another positive review for the Astro3, which gets 4 out of 5 stars. The power and ability to charge multiple devices is a pro, but Mike Riley worries that the shake-to-wake feature could drain the battery if it's accidentally jostled. Riley also prefers a numerical LED readout rather than the 10-point light reader.

Our AssessmentTechRadar.com's reviewer charges two (unnamed) smartphones and still has a charge for two more days, but "isn't too great with tablets." The iPad only charged from 25 percent to 60 percent before ZAGGsparq's last power status light came on, indicating the battery was below 20 percent full. The wide charger can easily be carried in a backpack, says Lily Prasuethsut, but might be "awkward" in a purse or small bag.

Our AssessmentThis is a short write-up of the iCarrier, Mophie Powerstation Duo and the ZAGGsparq 6,000, which are named among six recommended portable chargers. While ZDNet.com is a credible source, this review gives very short snapshots of each product and does not test them.

Our AssessmentTheWirecutter.com's Seamus Bellamy likes the Satechi Portable Energy Station 10,000 but gives the ZAGGsparq a nod for its ability to charge a device while recharging in a wall socket. He notes, however, that it's pointless if an outlet is difficult to find.

Our AssessmentThe Anker Astro Pro2 Multi-Voltage is among 10 portable battery chargers listed (but not tested) in this article. The Astro Pro2 is praised for providing enough power to charge numerous devices or a laptop.

Our AssessmentThis HuffingtonPost.com writer lists the Astro Pro2 and the Limeade L180X as one of several external battery chargers. Although he tests each charger with the S4, he only gives short write-ups for each power bank and it's unclear how well each specifically performed.

Our AssessmentThis reviews website, which is geared toward blind and low-vision users of Apple products and apps, praises the Limeade Blast for its ability to charge devices multiple times and not run out of battery. Along with a lengthy description of the Limeade L180X, the reviewer states that it charged his iPhone 5 four times without dying.

Our AssessmentThis is a positive review of the Limeade Blast L180X from a site that caters to gamers. Brent Roberts indicates that he powered up smartphones over several days. The Limeade L180X performed superbly with just 25 percent of its battery, but it's unclear what types of phones were charged and how long the charges took.

Our AssessmentComputerWorld.com lists 10 untested portable battery chargers; the Innergie PocketCell is praised for being "sleek and attractive," and Rebecca Linke reports Innergie's claim that it can extend smartphone talk time for at least 15 hours and tablet time for up to five hours.

This is our assessment of the review’s relevance, clarity of testing and thoroughness.

Read more about our Ratings Criteria by clicking the link at the top of the page.

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